Enhancing Education: ICTs, Assessment, and Language Learning Strategies
ICTs in Education: Definition and Impact on Learning Quality
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) stand for Information and Communication Technologies and are defined, for the purposes of this primer, as a “diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information.”
- Increasing Learner Motivation: ICTs such as videos, television, and multimedia computer software that combine text, sound, and colorful, moving images can engage students in the learning process.
- Facilitating Basic Skill Acquisition: Thinking skills and creativity can be facilitated by ICTs through drill and practice.
- Promoting Active Learning: Providing a platform for student inquiry, analysis, and construction of new information.
- Encouraging Collaborative Learning: Encouraging interaction and cooperation among students, teachers, and experts, regardless of their location, and providing learners the opportunity to work with people from different cultures.
Assessment Strategies and Explanations
- Observation Scales: Tables for noting vocabulary acquisition, structure, and other learning aspects.
- Final Projects: Assess knowledge based on student performance.
- Questionnaires: Should feature simple questions of increasing difficulty.
- Class Activities: Allow assessment of participation and motivation levels.
- Family Interviews: Obtain information about the use of the foreign language outside the classroom.
- Class Diary: Records all relevant aspects of the class.
Key Concepts: Fill in the Blanks
- Chapmen → dancing – singing
- Chapbooks were → anonymous – undated
- Nursery Rhymes → satire – society
- Collaborative learning → encourages
- Educators should be → integrate users – digital literacy
- Class activities → participation – motivation
The Importance of Rhymes and Songs
- Children love rhythmic and musical activities.
- Songs and rhymes develop the ear, which is the first step in learning a language.
- Pronunciation, intonation, and stress are learned in a natural way.
- Vocabulary and grammar structures are also learned easily.
Assessing Knowledge: True or False
- The Nursery Rhymes were not used to reflect events… F
- ICTs do not integrate other aspects… F
- Songs and rhymes help children to develop the ear… F
- A Portfolio is a collective file… F
- A chapbook was an expensive and small book…. F
- ICTs in education present a very up-to-date design… T
Verb Forms: Gerunds or Infinitives
- I can’t believe… posting
- You’re really good at… writing
- Javier doesn’t seem… to enjoy
- Would you mind… turning
- I love… not having
- I went to the party… to meet
- I’ve given up… trying
- My girlfriend told me… to meet
Modal Verbs Practice
- We… didn’t have to… wear a uniform at this school.
- My friend… has to… replace her passport.
- You… should… wear a suit to the interview.
- My sister is a doctor; she has to work long hours.
- You… can’t… park your car here.
- Mary… shouldn’t… drink so much wine.
Relative Pronouns Exercise
- Seville, which is home…
- A striker is a footballer whose main role is to score goals.
- What color is the car which you are going to buy?
- That’s the woman whose son was killed.
Different Verb Forms
- We… have already complained about the noise.
- I can’t hear you; you are playing music too loudly.
- The computer… broke down…
- The English lesson usually… begins… at nine o’clock.
- Look! It… is going to cause trouble.
- I believe you… will find a solution.
- He… has been… in hospital.
- Robert… was walking… down the street.